Panic Attacks Treatment and Therapy in Sydney

As an established psychology practice we have expertise in providing treatment and counselling for panic attacks. Angus and his team guarantee to work tirelessly to deliver the highest possible quality panic attacks or panic disorder treatment and counselling in the Sydney area. We warmly welcome you to call our clinic to discuss right treatment for Panic Attacks or Panic Disorder.

A panic attack is a sudden rush of fear and discomfort accompanied by physical and psychological symptoms like breathing difficulties, shaking and a racing heart. Panic attacks differ from anxiety in that the feelings of fear have a sudden and severe onset as opposed to a gradually increasing sense of anxiety or apprehension. Panic attacks have an unexpected quality, meaning they sometimes appear “out of the blue” without any obvious trigger.

Panic attacks are relatively common and many people experience an occasional panic attack and quickly recover without any further distress or upset. Other people can find that they persistently worry about the recurrence of an attack. This is when panic attacks become Panic Disorder.

Physical Symptoms of a Panic Attack can Include

Trembling or shaking

Breathlessness

Feeling of choking

Tingling in the arms or legs

Dizziness

Feeling detached from yourself

Chest pain

Feeling a loss of control

Panic attacks occur when these symptoms appear without any apparent cause or as an excessive reaction to real or imagined danger, and can be extremely frightening and debilitating. The fact that sometimes there is no clear reason for the physical symptoms can make the experience far more unpleasant and intense. We suggest you to consult with a panic attack treatment specialist in case you are filling any of the above symptoms.

Fear of Feeling Fear

The sudden and intense nature of panic attacks means that many people have accompanying catastrophic thoughts about their symptoms. It is not uncommon to feel as if you are having a heart attack when being struck by a panic attack. Other thoughts may arise such as “I’m losing control” or “I will pass out” which can intensify the emotion felt. Unfortunately this only increases the feelings of panic and causes you to fear future panic attacks even more acutely.

Those suffering from panic disorder may have panic attacks as regularly as several times a week. The fear of these regularly experienced bursts of uncontrollable panic can cause those with panic disorder to constantly feel anxious as though waiting for the next attack. This fear can have a debilitating effect on the person’s life as they try to plan their lives around their disorder using avoidance techniques.

Avoidance and Safety Behaviour

When an individual suffers from panic attacks or Panic Disorder they will have a strong urge to escape the current situation, avoid situations where they have had previous panic attacks and those where believe they may in the future. The avoidance often provides some short term relief but in the long term serves to maintain and potentially exacerbate the anxiety while placing heavy restrictions on your life.

People who suffer panic attacks often engage in subtle avoidance techniques called safety behaviours. These are behaviours undertaken with the belief they will reduce the threat or intensity of a panic attack. This might include always carrying a water bottle to sip or making sure anti-anxiety medication is always close at hand.

Common Situations that are Avoided Due to the Fear of a Panic Attack may Include

Being alone outside

Confined spaces such as lifts

Travelling in a car or public transport

Travelling over a bridge

Avoiding any activity which may increase heart rate or other physical markers associated with panic attacks. Thus avoidance of exercise, caffeine and sex are common.

Our Panic Attack Treatment Therapy can Help Prevent Attacks and Reduce Your Fear of Them

If you are tired of being afraid of when the next panic attack will come and want to rid yourself of this condition, the panic attack specialists at Angus Munro Psychology are here to help. Our effective therapy treatment will teach you to identify the warning signs of panic attacks and respond to them in a way which does not escalate the feelings of fear.

As you learn to identify and correct the faulty thought processes which cause you to feel intense fear, your ability to control and de-escalate panic attacks will improve, and your panic attacks will begin to occur less frequently. Our effective panic attack treatment in Sydney can help you feel more in control of your life, reduce overall anxiety levels and free you from reliance on safety behaviour that may be stopping you living a totally fulfilling life.

Even though Panic Disorder is extremely distressing it is highly treatable with evidence based psychological panic attack treatments. We at Angus Munro Psychology can help you to cure panic attacks via evidence based treatment therapies across Sydney, Australia.

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Top Searched FAQs Related to Panic Attack

What are panic attacks?

Panic attacks are sudden, discrete periods of intense fear or anxiety that seemingly come from nowhere. The symptoms of panic attacks usually peak within 10 minutes, and then gradually decrease in severity within twenty to thirty minutes, sometimes within an hour.

While some people will experience one or two attacks without further incident, others have repeated attacks with a persistent fear of further attacks, at which point a psychologist would diagnose it as panic disorder.

What are the symptoms of panic attacks?

Its symptoms can be physical, emotional and cognitive in nature. The physical signs include rapid heartbeat, dizziness, light-headedness, sweating, chest pain or discomfort, trembling, nausea, the feeling of choking or being unable to breathe, numbness or tingling, and hot flashes or chills.

Other panic attack symptoms include the feeling of extreme anxiety or panic, of losing control or being disorientated, of being detached from oneself or feeling like one is losing touch with reality, and the fear of dying.

Panic attacks can feel very much like heart attacks, and you should visit your doctor or the emergency room if you think you might be having a heart attack. If a doctor is able to rule out a heart attack, the most likely cause of your symptoms is a panic attack, for which you should seek treatment from a psychologist.

What causes panic attacks?

The exact cause of such attacks is unclear; however, there are factors that are strongly associated with the tendency toward panic attacks. There are genetic factors: panic attacks appear to run in families, for instance. And then there are situational factors, some of which are connected to stress and to transitions in life, such as changing jobs, getting married, experiencing loss, or dealing with a difficult relationship.

Medical conditions can also cause the same symptoms of panic attacks, and one should see a doctor to determine whether heart problems, thyroid disorders, low blood sugar, or use and/or withdrawal from medications and stimulants should be considered.

Sometimes there is no obvious precipitating event or factor, however. Panic attacks themselves not only have rapid onset; but one can have a history of having no panic attacks and then suddenly experience one later in life.

The most important thing is to see a medical doctor and to consult with a psychologist. Angus Munro Psychology, in Sydney, specialises in anxiety treatments, and today’s treatments are extremely effective in controlling or completely curing the incidence of panic attacks.

What treatments are there for panic attacks?

Some of the evidence-based treatments that we use at Angus Munro Psychology include modalities such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), and Schema Therapy, to name just a few.

When should I seek treatment for panic attacks?

We strongly advise you to seek immediate treatment by both a medical doctor and psychologist because if the attacks are psychological in nature, research has shown that the quicker you begin treatment, the quicker your panic attacks or disorders will be resolved.

What is the difference between panic attacks and panic disorder?

The difference is in whether the attacks are recurring events or isolated (one or two) events. Panic disorder is diagnosed when one has repeated panic attacks; and when the attacks begin to affect the way you live your life: are you increasingly afraid of another attack, or are you avoiding certain situations or locations because you associate them with past attacks? If so, you are most likely suffering from panic disorder.

What are the symptoms of panic disorder?

It can have an enormous impact on one’s life: even if the panic attacks do not occur often, those with panic disorder are very much aware of the potential to have attacks, and that anticipatory anxiety can take a toll on your mental well-being.

You may be afraid to go to work or to social events due to the possibility of an attack; you may be afraid of having others witness an attack. You may be avoiding situations or environments where you fear there is no escape, or help is unavailable, or where you will be observed. This phobic avoidance can then turn into agoraphobia. The behaviors that result from such disorder can lead to loss of self-confidence and quality of life.

Sydney-based Angus Munro Psychology has extensive experience treating both attacks and panic disorder. We understand how terrifying these conditions are, and even though you may feel out of control, these conditions are treatable, and we want to help you.

We at Angus Munro Psychology warmly welcome anyone in the Sydney, Australia to visit us for panic attacks treatment and counselling. If you live outside Sydney then we can help you via Skype Therapy.